@ricklinux
Don’t get too excited! I still can’t login! same black screen, but I’m not getting errors at least.
@linesma
Technically yes. I followed your instructions in your post on Optimus Switch, but I don’t know if it works yet.
ATM I’m still at a black screen. Let me un-comment the change to ~/.xinitrc posted earlier and see what that does for me.
Nada. Though, there is a difference. Now the cursor doesn’t blink…
Heres systemctl status lightdm
● lightdm.service - Light Display Manager
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/lightdm.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
Active: active (running) since Wed 2020-10-28 11:25:28 PDT; 2min 57s ago
Docs: man:lightdm(1)
Main PID: 671 (lightdm)
Tasks: 5 (limit: 9188)
Memory: 58.3M
CGroup: /system.slice/lightdm.service
├─671 /usr/bin/lightdm
├─717 /usr/lib/Xorg :0 -seat seat0 -auth /run/lightdm/root/:0 -nolisten tcp vt7 -novtswitch
└─802 lightdm --session-child 12 19
Oct 28 11:25:27 skyedev systemd[1]: Starting Light Display Manager...
Oct 28 11:25:28 skyedev systemd[1]: Started Light Display Manager.
Oct 28 11:25:29 skyedev lightdm[745]: Could not find provider with name modesetting
Oct 28 11:25:29 skyedev lightdm[748]: pam_unix(lightdm-greeter:session): session opened for user lightdm(uid=972) by (uid=0)
Oct 28 11:25:34 skyedev lightdm[792]: pam_unix(lightdm:auth): authentication failure; logname= uid=0 euid=0 tty=:0 ruser= rhost= user=skyes
Oct 28 11:25:34 skyedev lightdm[792]: pam_systemd_home(lightdm:auth): systemd-homed is not available: Unit dbus-org.freedesktop.home1.service not found.
So, still some issue.
Interesting. I think I see a problem then.
Log in via TTY.
Type in sudo nano /usr/local/bin/optimus.sh
In the file put the following text:
#!/bin/sh
xrandr --setprovideroutputsource modesetting NVIDIA-0
xrandr --auto
Hit ctrl-x to exit and Y to save.
Go to your lightdm.conf
Right below the [Seat:*] line, add the following text.
display-setup-script=/usr/local/bin/optimus.sh
Save the file.
Reboot and see what happens.
Do you think it’s picking the wrong device for graphics?
It is a possibility. I need to rule it out.
So this exact script was already there when checked, so I just added
display-setup-script=/usr/local/bin/optimus.sh
to lightdm.conf where you indicated and rebooted. Same result, same lightdm status from systemd
I am honestly getting into territory that is beyond me. Can you try to boot into “Intel” mode? From a TTY, type: sudo set-intel.sh reboot and see what happens. I have a feeling with all the mucking about trying to fix this, we may have “borked” something.
Gave it a shot, no black screen, cursor is blinking again…
lightdm failed its boot, similar to the reasons earlier in the debug process, can’t talk to Xorg. Looks like Xorg is trying to load Nvidia drivers and fails saying no devices detected/ no screens found.
Posting log for xorg, thats the only interesting one here
Xorg log
[ 5.047]
X.Org X Server 1.20.9
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
[ 5.047] Build Operating System: Linux Arch Linux
[ 5.047] Current Operating System: Linux skyedev 5.9.1-arch1-1 #1 SMP PREEMPT Sat, 17 Oct 2020 13:30:37 +0000 x86_64
[ 5.047] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=d23990b1-6eb1-4936-95ef-4ef36fa3f55f rw "acpi_osi=Windows 2018" rd.udev.log-priority=3 nomodeset i915.modeset=0 nouveau.modeset=0 nvidia-drm.modeset=1
[ 5.047] Build Date: 02 September 2020 06:17:44AM
[ 5.047]
[ 5.047] Current version of pixman: 0.40.0
[ 5.047] Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
[ 5.047] Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[ 5.047] (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Wed Oct 28 11:43:26 2020
[ 5.047] (==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
[ 5.047] (==) Using config directory: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d"
[ 5.047] (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
[ 5.047] (==) ServerLayout "Layout0"
[ 5.047] (**) |-->Screen "Screen0" (0)
[ 5.047] (**) | |-->Monitor "Monitor0"
[ 5.048] (**) | |-->Device "Device0"
[ 5.048] (**) | |-->GPUDevice "Device0"
[ 5.048] (**) |-->Input Device "Keyboard0"
[ 5.048] (**) |-->Input Device "Mouse0"
[ 5.048] (==) Automatically adding devices
[ 5.048] (==) Automatically enabling devices
[ 5.048] (==) Automatically adding GPU devices
[ 5.048] (==) Automatically binding GPU devices
[ 5.048] (==) Max clients allowed: 256, resource mask: 0x1fffff
[ 5.048] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/misc" does not exist.
[ 5.048] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 5.048] (WW) `fonts.dir' not found (or not valid) in "/usr/share/fonts/TTF".
[ 5.048] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 5.048] (Run 'mkfontdir' on "/usr/share/fonts/TTF").
[ 5.048] (WW) `fonts.dir' not found (or not valid) in "/usr/share/fonts/OTF".
[ 5.048] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 5.048] (Run 'mkfontdir' on "/usr/share/fonts/OTF").
[ 5.048] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/Type1" does not exist.
[ 5.048] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 5.048] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi" does not exist.
[ 5.048] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 5.048] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi" does not exist.
[ 5.048] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 5.048] (==) FontPath set to:
[ 5.048] (==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
[ 5.048] (WW) Hotplugging is on, devices using drivers 'kbd', 'mouse' or 'vmmouse' will be disabled.
[ 5.048] (WW) Disabling Keyboard0
[ 5.048] (WW) Disabling Mouse0
[ 5.048] (II) Module ABI versions:
[ 5.048] X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4
[ 5.048] X.Org Video Driver: 24.1
[ 5.048] X.Org XInput driver : 24.1
[ 5.048] X.Org Server Extension : 10.0
[ 5.048] (++) using VT number 7
[ 5.048] (II) systemd-logind: logind integration requires -keeptty and -keeptty was not provided, disabling logind integration
[ 5.050] (--) PCI:*(0@0:2:0) 8086:3ea0:1028:08a6 rev 0, Mem @ 0xa4000000/16777216, 0x80000000/268435456, I/O @ 0x00005000/64, BIOS @ 0x????????/131072
[ 5.050] (--) PCI: (1@0:0:0) 10de:1d13:1028:08a6 rev 161, Mem @ 0xa2000000/16777216, 0x90000000/268435456, 0xa0000000/33554432, I/O @ 0x00004000/128, BIOS @ 0x????????/524288
[ 5.050] (WW) Open ACPI failed (/var/run/acpid.socket) (No such file or directory)
[ 5.050] (II) LoadModule: "glx"
[ 5.050] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libglx.so
[ 5.051] (II) Module glx: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[ 5.051] compiled for 1.20.9, module version = 1.0.0
[ 5.051] ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 10.0
[ 5.051] (II) LoadModule: "nvidia"
[ 5.051] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/nvidia_drv.so
[ 5.051] (II) Module nvidia: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
[ 5.051] compiled for 1.6.99.901, module version = 1.0.0
[ 5.051] Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[ 5.051] (II) NVIDIA dlloader X Driver 455.28 Wed Sep 30 01:04:06 UTC 2020
[ 5.051] (II) NVIDIA Unified Driver for all Supported NVIDIA GPUs
[ 5.051] (EE) No devices detected.
[ 5.051] (EE)
Fatal server error:
[ 5.051] (EE) no screens found(EE)
[ 5.051] (EE)
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
at http://wiki.x.org
for help.
[ 5.051] (EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
[ 5.051] (EE)
[ 5.055] (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.
Note: I am very comfortable with the notion of wiping and retrying. I have my EOS usb prepped at the ready for such a situation
Doing a re-install, at this point in time, I think is the best option. I am honestly at the extreme limits of my knowledge. I would suggest some things.
That you choose SDDM instead of Lightdm.
That before you reboot into your newly installed system, you chroot into it, and do the install process for Optimus-Switch then. Make DOUBLY sure that you are following the guide I linked. Read through it a couple of times to make sure you have it down.
Add the apci_osi='Windows 2018' parameter to grub BEFORE you reboot into the newly installed system as well.
That is what I do when installing a new system with Arch or an Arch based distro.
Thoughts @ricklinux?
That being said, I am sorry, but I have to go. It is 2am where I am at and I have to renew my Visa in the morning. 7am is going to come waay too early, and Immigration can be a %#%@.
I will check back in the morning and see what is going on.
Sorry to go, and good luck.
@linesma Thank you extensively for your patience with this. Needless to say I’d be in trouble without you.
And thanks to everyone else in this thread who has been helping.
Besides, I really only get mornings to work on this and I have to get started on work anyway. I don’t think I’ll get a chance to do all that until Friday morning with my schedule tomorrow. Besides, with all the issues we’ve encountered here, it probably best to do that so we know exactly what the solution was at the end of it all.
@linesma
Thanks for helping so much. I probably would not have gotten this far with my lesser knowledge related to xorg and conf files. So it takes me longer with a slower approach & researching things. I’m also not that familiar with the setup of window managers. These Hybrid laptops with Intel seem to always be the ones that give issues. The bright side of it is @GeekTea learns more in the process. I also would have suggested maybe reinstalling too but I might have said go with Xfce and get it all working first. Understand the hardware issues and then add i3. But maybe this time around it will be better with a different approach.
@GeekTea and @ricklinux Thank you both for your kind words. I only know what I do because I had issues with my OWN laptop, Asus FX-504GD, setting up Linux. Two years ago, It took me almost 3 months, with help from others, to have Linux run properly on my laptop. I had more problems than just the Optimus GPU stuff. I had Touchpad, Networking, and other minor glitches to deal with.
Much of Linux for me is still “arcane knowledge”, and I am still learning. How the graphics stack works with the system is one of them. As I said before, we were pushing the limits of what I know. I am not afraid to help, but I am also not afraid to tell you that I do not know something. Every time I help someone, I am learning as well.
@GeekTea I agree with ricklinux, it may be a good idea for you to install a full DE, such as XFCE first. Then you can always install i3 later and choose to run it by default from the login screen.
I have been fortunate that i haven’t had to deal with these issues myself using desktops mostly. I helped numerous others get nvidia drivers installed & optimus-manager running but not on i3 and haven’t had the black screen issues. Lucky i guess to not have run into that. I just try to help where i can.
I’m glad I’m not the only one in the community who has contemplated throwing things over Nvidia drivers, I just wish my case looked like everyone else’s!
But sounds good. I’ll do my installation with XFCE and sddm tomorrow (if the installer lets me do that combo) and do the steps you just outlines @linesma. I just use Linux for software development, and I’ve modified some linux drivers in my time for work. But, this type of system debugging is all new to me. I couldn’t tell you what a display manager was before this thread… I just wanted to do some projects with CUDA 
I doubt people ever talk about C programming in this forum, but thats the kind of help I can provide 
@GeekTea if you are going to install XFCE, stay with the default DM of lightdm. Telling you to install SDDM was only if you were going to reinstall i3 from the start.
I’ve been running Xfce for years on Arch based systems, and both sddm and lightdm have been working well.
But mileage may vary, and hardware is usually different… It is trial, error, and finally success. 
Been busy with real life, so I have some time to work on getting this up and running. Here are the actions I have taken…
sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p2 /mnt and sudo arch-chroot /mnt. (main system partition)apci_osi='Windows 2018' to the grub bootup instructions. This replaced ‘quiet’.Now rebooting and… it worked?!
It worked ! 